As anyone who's been frequenting the celeb forums, or has read my LJ will know, David Carradine is dead and I'm broken up about it.

I was a big Kung-Fu fan, loved Master Kwai Chang Caine. I have his Spirit of Shaolin book. (It's part autobiography, part philosophy, part guidebook to the martial-arts styles of the world.) It's even autographed. (My friends went to a con and met him, and Stacey traded me my un-autographed copy for the one she got signed. Bless.)

It was one of the first really spiritual books I ever owned, and I count it right up there with my magical texts. There was enough of the Tao and I Ching for me to grasp . . . something, but just little enough of it to make me seek further.

In short, there's very little of my Taoist magazines or texts that I read where I don't imagine David Carradine's voice, or don't see them filtered, at least a bit, through Kung Fu. I can't help it. With guidance, and spiritual inspiration, I think what they also say of sex is true. You never forget your first.

Speaking of . . . if it turns out David died of a failed attempt at auto-erotic asphixiation, like they're postulating, I'll actually be okay with it. At least that means he wasn't suicidal, and hadn't just given up. Besides, if you're that age and can still use it, you should. Then again, people think the whole idea is twisted. Meh, everyone's got their kinks, even if they never act on them. If that was, indeed, what he was trying to do, his kink just happened to be dangerous.

If it was suicide, I'll break into fresh tears, and if it was murder, like his family seems to think, I'll be outraged.

In any case, the world has lost a decent and extraordinarily interesting man.

This was kind of my "Good-enough-for-the-public" edit.  I never spoke of my attraction to him, that would have disgusted too many people.  My "Die kinky, if you're gonna die." comment, I thought was off-color.  And mentioning that it hurts as if he was someone that I knew personally, too crazy-fangirl for prime-time.

(From way back in the day.)
When was this?  1997, I think.  12 years ago.  *Sighs.*

Who I Chose, and Why I Chose Him

A teeny-weeny little personal essay by

Julie Hodges

      The question has been raised. Who, exactly, is my favorite character in Kung Fu: TLC? Is it Peter? Is it Kermit? Being friends with the both of you (Chaz and Anastasia), it seems that I must make a choice or face the consequences.

      Hair. Yes, I know you're groaning about the triviality of the subject, but anyone who knows me knows hair has always been a major factor for me. I like Kermit with his long hair (fourth season), and yet, Peter's hair is also nice. However, it has never been a secret that I like long hair very much.

      I have always tried to take the path of the less obvious when choosing my favorite male in any given group. I mean, look at Steve Clark.  In case you didn't know, and most of you probably didn't, he was the guitarist in Def Leppard who passed away in 1991. A magnificent, shy artist with long, blond hair. I was, and still am, enamored of him. He was a good- looking man, but he wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, the band's sex symbol. He also was no Brad Pitt. This would indicate that I would have definite leanings on the Kermit side.  (What? I didn't think kermit was a great looking guy?  Of course I did, but he just wasn't so fucking obvious as Peter.)

      Then again, when choosing from a show full of men, none of whom is exactly my type, I would have to delve into further criteria than looks alone. I go back to Steve again, as my yardstick. By no means was he the best-looking man I've ever seen, but there is a spark there, which ignited when I first saw him, which made me fall in love. Why? He was sensitive, and shy, and very sweet. There was also an element of infatuation there, something that drew me in that I could never quite put my finger on. You know me and the quiet type. I've always preferred the artist rather than the fighter. Look at Stargate. The character of Daniel Jackson made me fall in love with James Spader, because he was a gentleman, and sensitive, and intelligent, endearing. Yes, endearing, that's the word. It's incredibly likely that I wouldn't like him had I seen any of his "yuppie scum" movies first. I have a soft spot for guys who can look sad, and do it well.

      Peter, or Kermit, then, Peter or Kermit? Peter is passionate, which I like, but I like Kermit's wry, devil-may-care humor, too. Yeah, but what about me as the artsy, hopeless romantic? Sure, Peter's the ladies' man, and Kermit's enigmatic and engaging. Who to choose, who to choose? Well, you know. I saw "The Laquered Box" with Stace the other day, and that cinched my decision.

      I picked Caine.  

      Yes, yes, I know what I said about his being old, but you have to think about it. He's exotic, he's intelligent, he's artistic and sensitive. He has an element of magic about him, and you know me and magic. It is, rather a Zen decision: it makes no sense, and yet, it makes perfect sense, after all.

      Besides, you've got Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart, why can't I have an older guy on my list?! (Ye Gods, defensive much?)

      It just goes to show that a woman can be touched more deeply in her heart than she can in her hormones.  

This is to my musickal flist.  I know all of you take a lot of stock in the lyrics of a song, but has a singer's voice ever changed a song's vibe for you?  You see I have this cover of KISS's "Creatures of the Night" by a metal band called Iced Earth.  This guy is probably in his late 30's, but he has a young-sounding voice.  You know what I mean?  In his voice, the song has this sort of "this is what we are" young-punk attitude to it.  But, with Gene Simmons singing it in that deep timeless ROOOOOOAR of his, it's like "We're creatures of the night, and I am your general.  Stand ready for attack." *  * Damn, I just found out that it's Paul, not Gene, that sings "Creatures".  Why did I remember it the other way?   Probably because the song so fits him.  Anyway, though, Paul's voice speaks to more experience than the Iced Earth guy.*  It's not like there's an original and a bad cover (which can so often happen).  It's like these songs are rockin' but they both give out a different emotion. 

The same thing separates the 1000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant version of "Because the Night" from the Keel version, and from the version done by the song's original writer, Bruce (lolololololol) Springsteen.  There's a sort of pleading to the Natalie Merchant version, a need.  Keel's more a passionate declaration, which is why I nabbed it.  Most of Bruce's  more downbeat work has this flavor of a sort of world-weary storyteller about it.  "Been there, done that, drove on past on this long highway."
 

Does anybody else feel this way?

Title: Best Kept Hidden part 1

Author pale_exquisite 

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Rating: PG-13 for blood and slight violence

Pairing: Beckett/Zelenka/McKay pre-slash

Series: Vampires Will Never Hurt You 

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the concept of Stargate Atlantis.  I claim no ownership and mean no harm, truly.

Warnings: Vampire fic, Rodney being whiny and difficult, maybe OOC,  Oh, and M/M kissing.

Author’s Note:  I've read a lot of vampire folklore, and have decided to make my vampires, this bloodline anyway, 

more true to that than most.  I've heard vampyr in Czech for "vampire", but I have reason to believe this is a more recent 

word, so I went with the one that is in my vampire folklore sourcebooks, which is upir.   I'm not quite sure of the plural on that,  

so I just left it.  I probably will need to edit it.  Also, I'm useless at making accent marks.  Please forgive me.  Timeline is sometime 

between "Tao of Rodney" and "Sunday" in season 3, but there's not much to indicate that here.



 
 
 
 
 
 
( best kept hidden )

I thought i could post this considering this journal, aside from being my main spiritual outlet, is going to be my main pronz outlet.  Provided I finish any. Check this.  After 's pictures of Lambo, I decided to look up a few myself.  You can never have too many bishies, you know.

After a load of fail from googling "Lambo" and getting Lamborghinis, I decided to type in "Hitman Reborn Lambo".  This one of the things that came up.  Whoa.  Just whoa.  It's a very adult Lambo and a very adult Reborn being, well, very, very, adult.

Warning- This vid is a bit blurry, but you can see enough.  It's NSFW, nor is it safe for any ukes in the paths of their respective semes when the screen finally goes dark.  Call it a gift . . . for everybody.

Happy Birthday, 

fearnottheflame

 I cannot for the life of me undestand why this damn blue text does not cut off when the link for LJ user ends.    Have a fantastic day and know that I wish you hugs, gluten free cake, and all the best even if fate decrees I cannot be there at the moment.  I also owe you a birthday reading, so jump on my ass and demand it when you get the chance!!

 I was talking last night to Sarah.  Damn, can she ever be critical of me but sometimes she has good ideas.  I told her about my four disparate paths, the Tao, Shinto, Onmyodo, and the faith of ancient Egypt.  She suggested to me that if I really wanted to synthesize them into a personal faith, I should write down what draws me to each of them and all of them.  Also found out last night she doesn't believe in faeries or the Martina Principle; but I refuse to listen to her in that regard.

Here goes:  Egypt
A culture and religion of incredible beauty and sophistication.
The people have a reverence for animals to the point of seeing them as Gods.
The call of Bast on me is still very strong in an inexplicable way.
The faith is part of a culture that has fueled my imagination since I was a child.
Women are valued; the feminine is as much a part of the divine as the masculine.
They believe deeply in the evocative and divine power of scent.
The power of words, written and spoken, was very important to the Egyptian people.
There was an active magical practice in ancient Egypt.
Sex was not a taboo subject, nor was it reserved totally for procreation.

The Tao
I've been drawn to the Far East since I was knee-high to Grasshoppah!
The I Ching is an exquisite system of spirituality and divination.
I'm enjoying learning aromatherapy in the context of the Chinese elements.
The Tao discourages grandstanding of any kind.  Removal of superiority complex=good.
Encourages mindfulness, meditation, and humility.
Lots of cool philosophical sayings.
Also does not see sex as taboo, but as a genuine pathway to raising energy.
No patriarchy or matriarchy, as far as I can see.  Yin & yang are complementary and necessary.
I believe in chi, or personal energy, and believe magic to be partially an expression of this energy.
The system believes in balance.

Shinto
I've been drawn to the Far East since I was knee-high to Grasshoppah!
The people have a reverence for animals to the point of seeing them as Gods. (example, the Kasuga God at Nara Shrine is embodied in the tame deer that inhabit the shrine grounds.)
No patriarchy or matriarchy, as far as I can see.
The divine resides in everything, and everyone has the opportunity to become a minor god-spirit after death.
Objects have souls, which kind of suits my materialistic nature.
This may sound dumb, but have you ever seen a Shinto shrine?  They're so damn pretty.
Water, incense, and salt are used for purification, which would not be much of a change from the Western magic I already know.
Mediumship and divination, especially among women, is highly valued.
Shinto has its own faeries, the yokai, to which I am increasingly drawn.

Onmyodo
Older than Shinto, this is partially a shamanistic tradition, and partially considered "Japanese Taoism", therefore no trouble combining it with Tao, Shinto, or both.  In fact "On" and "Myo are just two other words for Yin & yang respectively.
I've been drawn to the Far East since I was knee-high to Grasshoppah!
Divination and spellwork are highly valued.
Women are not excluded, as far as I'm aware.
More elemental work.
Onmyoji also work with yokai, as well.
Value the written word (can even create a being with use of a text placed inside it.  See shikegami in Saiyuki.)
Part of the tradition includes the prevention of vengeful ghosts, and putting restless souls at ease.  I feel very drawn to this.  Something in my mind keeps telling me I can do it. Ghostbusting, woot!

So, basically, I'm drawn to the fact that all these traditions do not discount women, are somewhat sexually liberal, value magic writing, divination, and the natural world, especially animals.  Plus, there's something else that hooked me on the three cultures: Egypt, China, Japan, from a young age, in ways that are deeper than, say, Greece or the Norse countries, or even Meso-America, which was a bit of an obsession for a while when I was 11 or 12.  But there are other things- I like a faith that does not say one person is inferior to another.  I don't like a faith that encourages that attitude.  What is missing here is love.  Other people are certainly valued, but I have little information on these paths'  thoughts on love.

If I cannot find it, I must bring it.